The present invention relates to a recording apparatus in which an ink cartridge is loaded into a carriage to supply ink to an ink-jet recording head mounted in the carriage. The present invention also relates to an ink cartridge appropriate for such a recording apparatus.
A recording apparatus, in which an ink container is detachably mounted on a carriage carrying an ink-jet recording head, includes a retaining mechanism for preventing the removal or shifting of the ink container due to the motion of the carriage during printing, and for permitting the easy removal of the ink container by an external operation.
As disclosed, for example, in JP-A-10-44451, such a retaining mechanism is arranged so that a protruded portion for engagement with an ink cartridge holder on a first side face of an ink tank, and a pawl is formed on a pivotable lever on the second and opposite side face thereof. When the protruded portion engages the ink cartridge holder, the opposite face rotates about the protruded portion until the pawl is engaged with the ink cartridge holder.
However, such a retaining mechanism, which mounts the ink cartridge using the rotation of the ink cartridge is not suitable for an ink container forming an ink flow path via an ink supply needle communicating with a recording head.
That is, since the ink supply needle has a predetermined length enabling it to surely communicate with an ink container, the ink supply needle may be broken upon the application of an external force in a direction other than the axial direction, such as rotation in the manner just described. Thus, the ink container must be moved parallel to the longitudinal (axial) direction of the ink supply needle.
Further, as disclosed in JP-A-9-11500, an ink cartridge is proposed which has two elastically deformable levers respectively formed on two opposite faces of an ink container. Each lever has a pawl for engagement with an ink cartridge holder so that the ink cartridge can be inserted into and connected to an ink supply needle.
In addition, especially for a recording apparatus that requires ink not having air dissolved therein, i.e., for a recording apparatus that includes a recording head employing a piezoelectric device for pressurizing ink, prior to mounting on the recording apparatus, an ink cartridge is held, under a pressure reduced state, by being stored in an air-impermeable film bag.
In this case, atmospheric pressure can apply great force to a lever through the bag, and the lever can be pressed against a container. If this force continues to be applied for a long period of time, creepage of the lever, which is typically made of polymeric material, can occur, and the function of the lever as a fixing unit can be lost.